This invention relates to a seating aid for children, and particularly to a struggling barrier which blocks the struggling movements of children seated near one another.
Family car travel is commonly known as a high stress activity because children instinctively struggle with one another when sitting in close proximity on a seat. They struggle over possessions, territory, touching, words, food and looks. This is more pronounced in early childhood when social skills of cooperation and sharing are still to be developed. Conflicts often develop and escalate to very high levels because parents are unable to carry out normal supervision and discipline of children seated in the backseat while they are in the front seat driving.
Previously, parents have employed a variety of methods to reduce conflict between children. They have provided entertainment and diversion, stayed home, left the kids home, put one child in front seat and one in back, or used raised voices, threats and force. They have also separated children with a variety of objects such as pillows, boards and boxes. All of these methods have only a temporary effect on reducing conflict and each has major disadvantages and limitations. Providing entertainment requires constant effort. Staying home or changing seats is inconvienient. Raised voices and force cause bad feelings and ruined outings. Objects for separation are sometimes hard and unsecured and therefore can be removed and tossed around causing an unsafe environment.